Zanussi Fl1012 Will Not Spin

[Curious]

I have a Zanussi FL1012 washing machine, it currrently will not spin most of the time. I suspect the sensor which detects water level, but it is not 100% clear to me.

Washing machine washes and rinses fine.

Water pumps out O.K.

Washing machine refuses to spin

So:

(1) Washing machine would not spin. I suspected partial pump failure - it would pump out most of the water but not get the last little bit out. I drained the machine and removed the pump which had hairgrips in it, plus one pipe had a 1p piece acting as a kind of 'butterfly valve'. Put it all back together and checked the spin - working, so spun the wet clothes. Job done.

(2) Soon after, the washing machine would not spin. Took it apart again, pump out and all pipes off, no obvious problem. Back together, would spin, so spun the wet clothes. Job done? Possibly, but puzzled.

(3) Next day, would not spin again. Clothes round to mum-in-law for spin. Left the machine standing for 2 days and checked again. It would spin.

I now suspected that the little pipe from near the pump up to the pressure switch might be partially blocked, thus letting the sensor know when the machine was full of water but not letting sensor know when washing machine was empty (no pressure to force water back out). There must be some functionality as it does not overfill, and seems to handle water in/out for washes and rinses O.K. Assumed water seeps out over a couple of days, so machine will spin again.

Top off the machine, blow air down the pipe to clear it, and run a full rinse cycle to make sure water goes up and down sensor pipe a few times. No spin. Remove the pipe from the sensor at the top (therefore it should be reporting 'no water in machine') but still no spin. Tapping end of finger over open pipe into sensor to joggle diaphragm doesn't work either.

Can I assume that the pressure switch sensor is worn out (I assume it has an internal diaphragm to sense pressure changes) and needs replacing, or is there an alternative explanation? Are sensors expensive, or is replacement a cost effective diagnostic test?

Any other tests worth while? e.g. attaching a short piece of pipe to the sensor and blowing down it to simulate filling and emptying?

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

You have a good understanding of how the pressure system works.

If, when you pulled the pressure tubing off the pressure switch, the washing machine still didn't spin, then you have discounted the possibility of the fault being caused by not emptying the water out fast enough or a blocked pressure chamber because pulling off the tube should automatically turn the pressure switch off as the air immediately escapes.

Also, if the pressure switch was stuck in the on position (either because of trapped air in the blocked pressure system holding it on. or because the pressure switch is faulty and jammed on), the washer should think it was already full and start washing immediately without letting any water in. So if the washing machine fills up normally on wash and rinse then the pressure switch can’t be stuck in the on position. It’s possible that when switching to the off position, the contacts inside aren’t making a connection or a faulty wire/connection is not letting power go to the programme timer but this is very rare.

If you blow up the pressure switch, it should click and you should get a corresponding click as you let the air out. Pressure switches can have just one switch inside, or 2 or 3. A third switch is sometimes used to energise the pump on overfill situations. Most pressure switches have 2 switches, one for low level (wash) and the second for high level (rinse)

[Curious]

After four to five hours of standing it will now spin. This still seems like a partially blocked pipe - but then why doesn't it spin when the pipe is disconnected from the pressure switch sensor?

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Indeed. When the washing machine spins OK after some hours, this is often caused by the air slowly leaking past the blockage and the switch turning off.

[Curious]

Took the pipe off and checked it; ran water down it; all seemed clear. Using the pipe, blew in its ear and got three clicks on then three clicks off. Did this a few more times then put it all back together again.

It now seems to be running O.K. but I still don't quite understand why it wasn't working before! Perhaps it was just lonely and wanted some attention. Perhaps one relay was sticking a little and the blowing on and off cleared something. Anyway, many thanks for your help - very reassuring to be able to bounce ideas off someone and get the benefit of experience.

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

It's possible it's sorted, but keep a close eye on it. You may have an intermittent fault.

(more - drum not turning - not spinning)